textproduct: Quad Cities

KEY MESSAGES

- Temperatures will remain below normal through the end of the week and into the weekend, with occasional chances for showers. - Cool nights in the low-mid 30s through the second half of the week may result in some frost, especially along and north of I-80.

- Pattern change will bring a more active upper level pattern Sunday and beyond, resulting in increasing temperatures and chances for precipitation through the first half of the upcoming work week.

SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/

Issued at 145 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

Gusty NW winds (25-35 mph), will continue into the early evening before subsiding as diurnal mixing wanes and the surface pressure gradient weakens. A dry air mass in place with dewpoints in the 30s/20s, along with clear skies, will allow temperatures to cool off quickly early tonight. Forecast lows are in the upper 30s to lower 40s for most of the outlook area, with mid 30s possible over far NW Illinois which could lead to some patchy frost; although it doesn't appear to be widespread enough to warrant a Frost Advisory at this time.

LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

Issued at 145 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

Broad trof and cutoff upper low over the Great Lakes Region will remain in place through the start of the weekend. Within this pattern, we will see bouts of energy gyrate around the upper low, which will bring through bouts of cloud cover and chances for precipitation. LLVL flow will remain light and generally out of the north/northwest, keeping us under cool/dry advection. The next chance (20-40%) for showers and possibly a few isolated storms comes in on Thursday as a surface trough passes through the region from NW to SE. Isolated thunder is favored mainly across the southern outlook area where instability is highest with several hundred J/kg of SBCAPE.

Temperatures will remain below normal through the end of the week, with upper 50s in the north to low 60s south. With each bout of vorticity passing along the flow, we can expect a cool northwesterly breeze, making it feel a little cooler. Nighttime temperatures will range from the low 30s north of Highway 30 to mid/upper 30s along/south of I-80. Thus, frost is possible across the area Thursday night and Friday night. It may remain patchy south of I-80 and could be more widespread to the north.

Sunday and into the start of the new work week, we will see stronger northwest flow work into the north-central CONUS. This will usher in stronger waves, which will start to shift the aforementioned upper low east. Better llvl return flow will work into the region, resulting in increasing tempertatures. Much of the area will start to see the upper 60s to low 70s return. Moisture will also be on the gradual increase through the start of the week, with the upper level pattern becoming a little more active. Thus, we will see sporadic chances for precipitation (20-40% PoPs each day) through the first half of the week. These seem to be quick-hitting systems, largely bringing through bouts of light rain.

AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/

Issued at 1228 PM CDT Wed Apr 29 2026

VFR conditions will persist through the TAF period. Current satellite shows a SCT to BKN deck of diurnal cumulus at 6000 feet. This deck will continue to move with the northwesterly upper flow over the next several hours. Northwesterly surface winds are gusting 20-27 kts and will continue to do so until 01Z when the PBL decouples. Past 15Z Thursday, a lower VFR cloud deck will begin to move into the region ahead of some potential showers after 18Z.

DVN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES

IA...None. IL...None. MO...None.